FAQ's

Meininger Verlag and Doemens are two absolute experts behind the innovative concept with many years of experience in the sensory analysis and evaluation of beers and the implementation of highly professional beer tastings. Among other things, Meininger Verlag organized the “Meininger’s International Craft Beer Award” from 2014 to 2022. Doemens has been the leading institution for national and international beer sommelier training since 2004 and has gradually expanded its sommelier expertise in recent years (water, fruit juice, distillates). In addition, the Gräfelfinger Getränkeinstitut (beverage institute located in Gräfelfing, Bavaria, Germany) has 20 years of experience in organizing large beer tastings.

Each submitter may hand in any number of samples for a Finest Beer Selection tasting, provided the beers comply with the production and designation regulations of the respective third countries or the regulations of the European Union. However, one and the same beer may only be registered once (and not with the naming of different beer styles).

After you have registered your rehearsals, check the information for your correctness again. If all values ​​are correct, print the product pass of your sample. Send this product pass with your beers to Doemens. Please make sure that the product passes are included in the respective samples.

Register your beer the way you stylistically intended it. If you think it corresponds to an established beer style, you will find the appropriate category in our structured beer style listing. If you cannot find the right beer style or your beer cannot be assigned to a specific beer style due to special ingredients or processes, you can register it individually using the free beer style registration.

Each beer is tasted individually, evaluated and not judged in a ranking comparison with other beers. The blind tasting takes place in two stages: First, an aroma profile is created using individual descriptors that match the specified beer style: the Finest Beer Profile. In a second step, an assessment value, the Finest Beer Score, is determined on the basis of a 100-point scheme.

The tasting will take place from Mai 20 to 22, 2025 in Gräfelfing at Doemens.

Yes, in addition to the Finest Beer Selection, i.e. all beers with a Finest Beer Score of 90 or more points, we choose the “Beer of the Year” nationally and internationally as well as the “Brewery of the Year” nationally and internationally.

“Beer of the Year” (national and international) are those beers that were awarded the highest Finest Beer Score by the jury over the entire competition.

"Brewery of the year" - This title is awarded to those breweries that make it into the Finest Beer Selection with at least five beers and achieve the highest average Finest Beer Score among the five best-placed beers.

This title is awarded to those breweries that make it into the Finest Beer Selection with at least five beers and achieve the highest average Finest Beer Score among the successfully placed beers.

You will also receive the printable file of the seal for download as part of the result notification.

You can use the Finest Beer Selection seal to advertise your beer, for example on the website, in sales documents and also on the beer label, without any additional usage fees.

1. First, an independent, professional description and assessment of your beer by an experienced, international jury. The result includes the point evaluation, the Finest Beer Score, and an aromatic profile, the Finest Beer Profile, of your sample.
2. Secondly: In the event of admission to Beer Selection, your beer is part of the high-circulation and wide-ranging marketing (see “How are the winners made known on the part of the organizers?”).
3. Third: A professional, high-resolution image of your beer (product exemption) for free use.
4. Fourth: As part of a award ceremony, winning pictures are produced, which the respective brewery can use free of charge for their media work.

Bundle size < 0,5 l: 10 bottles/cans

Bundle size = 0,5 l: 8 bottles/cans

Bundle size > 0,5 l: 6 bottles/cans

Beers from outside of the EU need a pro-forma calculation with the following data for customs processing:

• Beer Brand
• Number of Bottles
• Alcohol (ABV%)
• Product Value (for example € 1.00 per bottle)
• Original Gravity (°P)

How many bottles/cans are required to tast the beer registered?

What do I have to consider when processing customs?

Beer delivery from outside the EU

Disrupted logistics processes worldwide lead to significantly longer shipping and waiting times at the respective customs offices. Therefore, the beers should be sent early.

Breweries from outside the EU need an additional invoice (proforma invoice) for customs clearance with the following specifications of the beers sent:

Shipping to: Doemens Academy GmbH

• Beer brands:
• Number of bottles:
• Bottle content in ml:
• Alcohol level (ABV %):
• Product value (e.g. € 1,00 / bottle or can)
• Original gravity (°P)

This invoice must be attached outside the packaging where it can be seen by customs. If any of the above information is missing, there may be delays in customs clearance. A sample proforma invoice can be provided below via download. If there are any questions, the completed proforma invoice can be sent to contact@finest-beer-selection.com.

Download Proforma-Invoice

After your samples have been registered, we will send you the invoice promptly by email. We send the invoice to the email inbox that is stored when registering the samples.